This is All Saints’

Worship

Music

Community

Schools Registered Charity 1164609

The Parish and Deanery

The parish of All Saints’ (and St Michael’s) is part of the Isle of Wight

Deanery and Archdeaconry, which covers the whole of the Isle of Wight.

It consists of 52 parishes and 60 churches. Even though we are an

Island, we play a full part in the life of the wider Diocese of Portsmouth

and, due to ease of access from the mainland, All Saints’ often hosts

diocesan training events and special diocesan services.

All Saints’ is one of the Islands flagship civic churches with good links to

the local community which have the potential to be a source of

significant growth.

The Island is divided into smaller clusters and All Saints’ is part of the

North Cluster. The cluster clergy have, in the past, met for monthly

lunches and are supportive and welcoming. We have a monthly chapter

programme which is well attended. The Isle of Wight Plan (available

from the diocesan website) is rooted in the Diocesan ‘Live, Pray, Serve’

strategy and seeks to develop collaborative ministry across our urban

and rural parishes.

Church Building – All Saints’ Church

Sometimes called the Cathedral of the Island and still referred to as “The Parish Church”, the magnificent church of All Saints’ holds a prominent position in Ryde and is a focal point for travellers coming to or leaving the Isle of Wight. From its setting on the highest hill in Ryde, the spire can be seen for miles around. Designed by Sir George Gilbert Scott and built in the 1870s, it reflects the glory of the Victorian period at its very best. Scott was also responsible for designing, building and renovating many churches and cathedrals both in Britain and overseas. The choir vestry was added later and built in the same style as the church. Whilst the majority of the church remains in good condition, there was some damage sustained during WW2 which involved the loss of stained glass windows on the south side of the church caused by a land mine exploding nearby. Those on the north and east sides of the church remain while a new west window was installed in the 1950s.

The church is open daily. Visitors come from far and wide to attend services, concerts, events or simply to look around the church. It can seat up to 600 people and is also used by different community groups for special services and the town’s annual Remembrance Day service. There is no churchyard, but there is now a memorial garden on the south side of the church which has become a popular site for the

The Bishop addresses the congregation

interment of ashes. The church has a ring of eight bells, hung in 1886, and an older bell rung for special occasions such as Royal events and New Year. There is a relatively modern church hall attached to the church via a link corridor which is used not only by the church community, but also various community groups in Ryde. Finally there is a shop which sells a variety of items.

We also have a video of the church, which was taken for an outreach project. Please follow the link below:

https://youtu.be/fYSOSO43GqY

All Saints’ has always held a major role in Ryde, particularly for civic events. It has stood proud through many changes and whatever the future brings, this majestic landmark will continue to hold a special place in the hearts of all who are involved in the life of the church along with those who have had cause to visit it.

Services, Worship and Attendance

A key aspect of All Saints’ Church is its role as a place for worship, prayer and communion. The church looks to place the ‘word’ at the core of the Christian experience and, as such, places noted emphasis upon the delivery of services that reflect and respond to the spiritual needs of its congregation. The attendance at regular church services is generally consistent throughout the year with regular Sunday services consisting of a said (BCP) Eucharist at 8:00am, a Sung (Common Worship - Traditional Language) Eucharist at 10:00am and then a sung (BCP) Evensong at 6:30 pm. The congregation across the three services creates an average weekly attendance of 108. The regular worshipful life of All Saints’ is founded on its strong choral tradition, the use of the Book of Common Prayer and a traditional style of liturgy. However, the church community is beginning to trial new approaches to worship. A “cafe church” approach was successfully delivered and well-attended in April and there is potential to extend such opportunities for other additional ‘pilot’ services that are targeted upon encouraging and expanding family worship. The role of All Saints’ as “The Parish Church” within the community means that it also draws larger numbers for special services, civic and festival events. Highlights within recent years have included the opportunity to host the BBC Radio Solent Christmas Carol Service, the annual Rotary Club service and the annual civic service of remembrance. All Saints’ dedicated a week of events to the act of remembrance in 2018 including a special service of rededication of All Saints’ Church War Memorial. The work to renovate this important memorial, undertaken by the Friends of All Saints’, is a mark of what All Saints’ can achieve and the congregation is proud of the commitment they have given to this project.

Highlights within the calendar include festive events across the Christmas period, commencing with traditional services such as the Advent Procession service; the Service of Lessons and Carols and Midnight Mass. However, the Christmas season also heralds noted, less traditional services with local schools and clubs making sound use of All Saints' for their carol services. We also have a very successful crib service that has grown in popularity over the past few years. The crib service for Christmas, 2018 attracted in excess of 300 people with a large number of children and families in attendance. All Saints’ is keen to continue to build on such successes in the future. Holy Week presents another key period in the church calendar. Additional services of compline, with wider opportunities for quiet prayer and reflection, are offered throughout Holy Week and complement the traditional Maundy Thursday, Good Friday and Easter Sunday services. Because All Saints’ has a prominent position, it is a popular choice for weddings and baptisms. This has been supported by the renovations within the building including the building of a new dais and recent redecoration above the wall paintings within the church sanctuary. The act of worship extends beyond the delivery of services and the church continues to strive for a full range of activities: Lenten groups, confirmation classes and preparatory sessions for marriages and baptisms would be important aspects of the ongoing work of the church community and the future incumbent. We are keen to share the joy of worship within this beautiful setting and look forward to welcoming an incumbent who will be able to support us to fulfil this goal.

Ministry

The Isle of Wight is within the Diocese of Portsmouth and is a separate self-contained Archdeaconry, and Deanery.

All Saints’ parish, which also includes the bounds of St. Michaels’ (currently closed for worship), with a population of some 12000, stretches down to the sea. It is the core of the town. The Bishop of Portsmouth is the Patron. There has been a vacancy at All Saints’ since October 2018. There is also a proprietary chapel of St. James located within the parish boundary. We are fortunate to have a large ministry team that includes four retired Priests, a Licensed Lay Reader and a Lay Pastoral Assistant/Lay Worship Leader. Other lay members of All Saints’ parish share ministry by forming teams of servers, readers, chalice administrants, leading intercessions and interviewing those who wish to use the church for weddings, baptisms, etc. During the interregnum help and support from local and Diocesan clergy and laity has allowed continuity in provision of our regular and occasional services. There is also a well-established parish office (staffed 4 mornings per week) and use is made of the website and social media in publicising All Saints’ activities within the parish.

Church strengths

• Committed, prayerful congregation and we maintain three services

every Sunday

• Dedicated, conscientious volunteers who work well together to cover

a wide range of jobs

• Music within the church, both with our own choir and as a venue for

concerts

• A range of well supported social activities

• Links with local schools

• Outreach to housebound people and to care homes

Church challenges

• Too few children and young families attending church

• Continuing outreach to housebound people and to care homes

• Maintenance of church buildings

• Transporting of elderly to church

Members of the congregation enjoying the fete.

Music

All Saints’ has a tradition of a high standard of choral music and has an

enthusiastic RSCM affiliated, SATB robed mixed choir of c.23 voices.

Both the main 10:00am Sunday Eucharist and weekly 6:30pm Evensong

are fully sung services with a variety of communion settings for the

Eucharist and an anthem or motet in both services. The music list for

services, with hymns taken from New English Hymnal, is produced by

the Director of Music (‘DoM’) and submitted to the incumbent for

approval prior to publication. Given the ‘sung’ nature of our services

the incumbent should ideally be able to sing with some accuracy and

competence although there are cantors available within the choir and

both they and the DoM are willing to offer support.

Regular weekly choir practices are held on Thursday evenings with an

additional short warm up rehearsal before each service. Junior

choristers receive singing tuition jointly and individually under the RSCM

Voice for Life scheme from the Junior Choir Trainer, who also assists the

DoM from time to time with conducting and other duties.

Many choir members are involved in various other aspects of church life

including the Treasurer, PCC Secretary, PCC members,

readers/intercessors and, until recently, one of our Wardens. The

congregation are strongly supportive of the choir and its role in the life

and worship at All Saints’. Last year the choir held a concert to raise

funds for the church showcasing not only four-part voices but also the

talents of individual members which was well supported both by the

church family and the wider Ryde community. Following on from this

successful event it is hoped to stage further concerts from time to time.

The Organist and Director of Music is,

by profession, an organ builder and is a

considerable asset to the Parish. The

organ is a magnificent three manual

‘Father Willis’ which will require a major

overhaul in the not too distant future

but in the meantime, given his

profession, the DoM is able to keep the

instrument operating to a good

standard. The DoM is assisted in his

playing duties by a Deputy Organist.

The church building enjoys excellent

acoustics for music and, as one of the

largest enclosed performance spaces on the Island, is popular locally as a

venue for concerts both professional and amateur. We have a good

quality grand piano and All Saints’ hosts many of the performance

classes of the annual Isle of Wight Music, Dance and Drama Festival. For

many years both the SATB choir and our junior choristers have entered

relevant classes in this competition gaining many positive comments

from the judges and consistently high marks. The installation, a few

years ago, of a dais extending the chancel step has improved the

building’s suitability for a wider range of concerts providing sufficient

space for a full orchestra to be accommodated.

The Director of Music

Social Activities of the Church

Among annual social events there is a Strawberry & Skittles Afternoon

held in a paddock belonging to two members of our congregation, and

the same couple host a Pancake Party on Shrove Tuesday. There are

fund raising and social activities held every year with the format

changing as new ideas come to fruition. Christmas Bazaars and Summer

Fetes are held annually, and a Plant sale in May has proved popular.

Last year a Harvest Fair was held, with home grown fruit and vegetables,

preserves, cakes and a Soup & Ploughman’s Lunch.

There have been very successful coffee and lunch mornings in aid of our

West Africa Link and our Brownie pack also hold events to which the

wider congregation are invited.

Although mainly designed as a “working party”, the dubiously named

“Monday Men” (there are more gals than chaps!) meet monthly over a

simple breakfast (grilled bacon is a “must”) and then set about cleaning

or doing minor repairs around the church. It has also proved a good

opportunity to socialise and for new members of the congregation to

meet, informally, and get to know the old stagers!

The Church Fete

Recently the PCC agreed to develop the west end of the church for

community/church events. This will include a pop-up café on the south

side with chairs and tables, shop displays and an exhibition area on the

north side with moveable display panels and display stands.

Parish Finances

The parish finances are currently on a sound footing as a result of

prudent housekeeping and annual Stewardship/gift days in the autumn.

There are no significant endowments but the main accounts are backed

by investing surplus funds in deposit accounts.

Our finances are overseen by a small Finance Committee who meet

regularly, are updated monthly on the state of the accounts and make

recommendations to the PCC. Budgets are set annually in November

and the Treasurer produces monthly comparison to budget.

Currently we are able to “pay our way” and meet our Parish Share

commitment which was £47,592 in 2018.

We were selected as one of the first parishes in our Diocese to trial

donations through the Parish Giving Scheme, and this is now our

preferred method of receiving regular donations. At the moment 36

members of our church are “signed up” to this scheme (64 if spouses are

included) while a further 25 give through the standing order or weekly

envelope methods.

Planned giving amounted to £43,750 in 2017 with collections and gift aid

adding a further £23,500.

The annual stewardship campaign took place in September 2018 giving

options to increase current giving and/or financial support for projects

to develop the church for the benefit of the community (pop-up café and

exhibition area).

The church hall is almost completely booked weekly by community

groups which provides a good income stream to support the church

finances.

Over the past few years we have managed to obtain funding to improve

the heating system, make essential roof and gutter/hopper repairs

(including a new “latchway” system of ladders and hawsers), repair

damage to stain glass windows as well as to install a beautiful new dais

at the chancel steps to improve the ability to attract prestigious

concerts. This latter work was designed to be in keeping with the

church’s grade 2* listing and the Architectural style of Gilbert Scott.

The Friends of All Saints’ funded the refurbishment of the Calvary War

Memorial.

Over the last five years the church has increasingly attracted weddings

and baptisms. Apart from PCC fees for weddings, significant amounts

have been donated at collections on these occasions.

We no longer give a percentage of our income to charitable causes but

prefer to support one-off causes and to offer our church for charitable

concerts etc. Our main support goes to our link parish of Wa in north

Ghana with several thousands of pounds raised each year.

As a separate charity, All Saints’ accounts are examined by Chartered

Accountants and the final accounts submitted to the Charity

Commission, as well as to the Diocese through the on line Church of

England Annual Return.

Schools in our area

The Schools within our extended parish boundaries are:

Ryde School – a co-educational Independent School, directly opposite

the church.

Greenmount Primary School – located some ¾ mile from the church.

Ryde Academy – Secondary – located a mile or so from the church.

Haylands Primary School – located some 1 ½ miles away in the old

Parish of St Michaels.

Over the last few years the Vicar, and to some extent the then Curate in

training, have developed closer links with these schools. The Vicar has

been variously “Chaplain”, “Governor” or quite simply a “welcome

visitor” to take regular morning assemblies.

Ryde School (Senior, Prep and pre-Prep) frequently use the church for

regular Friday “Chapel” services, festivals and Carol services (three or

four to cater for parents) and school concerts, and the Pre-Prep School

youngsters have trips to the church on a church trail basis of discovery.

Greenmount and Haylands Schools hold regular termly services which

include Carol Services at Christmas along with staff and parents.

To date Ryde Academy have only used the church for Speech days.

The PCC are eager to promote the use of the church by local schools and

an outreach programme of singing is being trialled in early 2019 by the

church Director of Music and directed by Michael Stevenson, who

recently moved to Ryde, having had 25 years’ experience teaching

music within a primary/prep school environment culminating in his

last role (2013 -2018) as Director of Music at King’s College Choir

School, Cambridge.

The Town and Island

Ryde is the gateway to the Isle of Wight with a population of

approximately 26,000 residents and up to 100,000 visitors every year. It

dates from Victorian times with the oldest seaside pier in England and

miles of sandy and pebble beaches. Most of the surviving large houses

are now converted into apartments. Nowadays there is a wide range of

housing within the town and recently there have been a substantial

number of new houses built on estates both within the town and on the

outskirts.

The Isle of Wight is an island off the south coast of England, with plenty

of open countryside, over half of which has been designated as an Area

of Outstanding Beauty. Visually, the Island’s Area of Outstanding

Natural Beauty is dominated by chalk. This forms both the east/west

backbone and its most famous landmark, The Needles.

On the north coast are the low clay cliffs, salt-marsh and mud-flats of

the Hamstead Heritage Coast. In the south, the landscapes bounded by

the Tennyson Heritage Coast range from sandy bays to high sandstone

and chalk cliffs, cut by woodland ‘chines’. The complexity gives rise to

chalk down-land, arable farmland, wooded dairy pasture, heathland, sea

cliffs and creeks. The Isle of Wight has award winning beaches, including

blue flag winners, all of which are managed and maintained to the

highest standard.

The island generally has a high number of people of retirement age

which is reflected in the parish. There is also a significant number of

nursing and residential homes and elderly people living alone creating a

need for house calls.

The island has 140,000 permanent residents (2011) and a single Member of Parliament, being the most populated constituency in the United Kingdom (more than 50% above the English average). However, in 2011 the Parliamentary Voting System and Constituencies

Act was to have changed this, as part of the Sixth Periodic Review of Westminster constituencies, but this was deferred to no earlier than October 2018 by the Electoral Registration and Administration Act 2013. Thus the single constituency remained for the 2015 general election. However, two separate East and West constituencies are proposed for the island under the 2018 review now under way. If implemented, Ryde will be in the East constituency.

The Isle of Wight is a ceremonial and non-metropolitan county. Since 1995 it has been a unitary authority.

Tourism is the largest industry, and most island towns and villages offer hotels, hostels and camping sites.

The Isle of Wight has several transport links with the mainland. Fast passenger catamarans run between Portsmouth and Ryde Pier (22 minutes) while a passenger hovercraft runs between Southsea and Ryde (10 minutes). Both terminals in Ryde are within walking distance of All Saints’ and the Vicarage while the hovercraft terminal at Southsea is only a short walk from Portsmouth Cathedral. The nearest car ferry to Ryde takes 45 minutes to cross between Portsmouth and Fishbourne.

Another fast passenger catamaran service runs between Southampton and Cowes (25 Minutes) while further car ferry services operate from Southampton to East Cowes (60 minutes) and Lymington to Yarmouth (40 minutes). All three car ferry routes also carry foot passengers in addition to those travelling in their vehicles.

Parish Priests on the Isle of Wight receive a travel allowance of £750 pa in recognition of their need to cross the Solent from time to time for personal/family reasons.

The Vicarage, 14 Argyll Street, Ryde

A detached four bedroom house, built some 18 years ago, is located

within a short walk of All Saints’ Church, the town centre, several

schools, the Esplanade and mainland ferry links.

Accommodation comprises an entrance hall with access to the large

study and cloakroom, utility room, sitting room, dining room, and

kitchen. French doors from the sitting room and a door from the utility

room give access to the garden

Upstairs there are four bedrooms, bathroom and shower room.

Gas fired central heating, double glazing, off-road parking and garage,

garden to rear.

The property is in very good decorative order and the garden has been

well maintained.

Appendix

Ryde School, founded in 1921, is a Church of England foundation with

the Bishop of Portsmouth as its visitor. Its founders, William and

Constance McIsaac, established a school in the Anglican tradition with

the motto ‘Ut Prosim’, that I may be of service, and from the start the

expectation was that All Saints’, sitting directly opposite, would enjoy a

close relationship with the School. This is a major reason why the School

has never had its own chapel. Indeed, the current Head Master would

say All Saint’s is our chapel and plays an important part in the spiritual

life of the school community.

In recent years the School and All Saints’ have enjoyed a close and

growing relationship. The previous vicar was the school chaplain,

spending time in the school and giving pastoral support to staff, parents

and pupils as well as leading assemblies from time to time, officiating at

major church services such as Easter, Founders’ Day and Harvest and

coordinating senior school services which occur on Friday afternoons

every two or three weeks. In return, the School has sought to support

All Saints’ and its work including offering practical help with repairs,

craftsmanship and car parking. The School has been closely involved in

the mission and work in Ghana with two visits to Tamale and ongoing

fundraising and support for our brothers and sisters there. It is the

School’s hope that the new parish priest will want to continue this close

relationship and in doing so cement the relationship between two long

standing and respected institutions in Ryde. The School has around 800

pupils aged 3 to 18 with around 20% enjoying bursary support. The

majority of pupils come from the Isle of Wight but there are a number of

boarders with an international background and the chaplain has played

an important role in supporting these pupils in particular. Although

there is no need to appear in the next school’s production of Romeo &

Juliet (as the last vicar did) the School is open to innovative ideas for

partnership and growth together.